29th Annual

The Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival, the premier American showcase for vocal harmony music. The annual national competition draws from hundreds of vocal groups from around the country with regional competitions in eight cities. The winning group from each festival is flown to perform in front of celebrity judges and a sold out house of enthusiastic a cappella fans at the National Finals.

Founded in 2009, Fermata Town is one of the newest member of CASA's Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL). Fermata Town released its debut album, Hold That Thought, this past December which received four Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) nominations including Best Album and Best Song of 2012. Inspired by the wealth of new talent in the a cappella world, the Townies have worked hard to find their voice and put a unique stamp on the Boston a cappella scene. The group prides itself in their original arrangements, the sound that they produce and their ability to maintain a healthy balance between their music and active lifestyles.

Beast Mode is a new vocal quartet from the Northeastern District of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Amongst the performers, they have 2 District Championships, 5 Division championships, and 10+ years of contest experience on the international BHS stage, including the international Collegiate Quartet championship in 2005. They are excited to take their boisterous vocal style into the Boston a cappella scene

Members:

Fermata Town - Founded in 2009, Fermata Town is one of the newest member of CASA's Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL). Fermata Town released its debut album, Hold That Thought, this past December which received four Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award (CARA) nominations including Best Album and Best Song of 2012. Inspired by the wealth of new talent in the a cappella world, the Townies have worked hard to find their voice and put a unique stamp on the Boston a cappella scene. The group prides itself in their original arrangements, the sound that they produce and their ability to maintain a healthy balance between their music and active lifestyles.

Members:

Funkin' A - Boston-based Funkin’ A! is seven voices of irreverence offering up an eclectic mix of tunes, including some you’re not sure you’ve ever heard, from six decades of (mostly) popular music. Covering Passion Pit to Michael Jackson to Blossom Dearie, their repertoire is sure to confuse DJs but please everyone else for at least three minutes. Over the past several years they’ve been proud to perform at Harvard Square’s massive Mayfair and Oktoberfest street festivals, WERS’s All A Cappella Live competition, Ball in the House’s A Cappella Concert Series, Boston’s AIDS walk, and the swank Liberty Hotel.

Grundy's Magic Shop- Welcome to the magic shop... That is Grundy's Magic Shop of course! We are an vocal quartet based in the Greater Boston Area bringing more than 25 years of combined experience to audiences of all ages. Even though Barbershop is where we all met and started singing together, we each bring our own style and unique vocal qualities to make music ring. We enjoy singing everything from Jazz and swing to classics and contemporary genres. Taking the Music to the top is our very own Jonathan Hinkle as Tenor, with the Leading role being played by Kadin-Seth Binkley. Laying down the foundation is Steve Moore as Bass and our mysterious guru of musical magic is Ben Brown, who occasionally doubles as a baritone. We look forward to seeing you soon and maybe singing a song with you or for you. Let the Show begin!

Members:Jonathan Hinkle, Kadin-Seth Binkley, Ben Brown, Steven Moore

Showcase - How fitting the name Showcase is for this foursome! They love to sing, to show their best to audiences, and to present special events (songs) in order to tug on the heart-strings of their listeners! Showcase, an a cappella quartet, started singing together in March 2007 and just two and a half years later became the 2009 International Championship Quartet of Harmony, Inc. All are members of New England Voices in Harmony, an Internationally ranked fourth place women's barbershop chorus from Nashua, New Hampshire. Showcase released their debut cd "Birds Gotta Fly" in November of 2012. An eclectic mix of jazz, blues, Broadway tunes all done in the barbershop a capella style.

The MetropoliTones- burst onto the New York a cappella scene in 2001 in a glorious heap of hot pink harmony. Founded by graduates of the Seven Sisters Colleges, the group features a shrink, a philosophy student and a sleepless new mom. The 'Tones perform original arrangements at such diverse venues as Cipriani, The Bitter End, The Pierre Hotel, The Bronx Zoo and The New York Athletic Club. As official members of the Music Under New York program, the 'Tones can also be found rockin' the subways. Career highlights include serenading "Dr. Ruth"and singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Giants Stadium.

As Tufts University’s oldest all-male a cappella group, the Beelzebubs have always been at the forefront of contemporary a cappella. From Boston to Buenos Aires, the Bubs bring music to life. Though our repertoire is stylistically diverse, ranging from Rock to Pop to Hip Hop, one thing about us is clear. Whether performing for preschoolers or presidents, the Bubs have carried on our motto, bringing “Fun Through Song” to the world since 1963.

The proceeds from tonight's show will be donated to the Bubs Foundation

The Bubs Foundation’s mission is to awaken in young people a passion for expression and learning through music. To support our mission, we provide financial grants to middle and high schools to augment under funded programs and to support inspiring music teachers.

During tough economic times, budget makers often look to the arts when needing to make cuts. We think that’s a shame and we deplore the fact that in several public schools in the greater Boston area, music programs have been cut to the bone or eliminated entirely. Our grant program is meant to give a lift to those professionals who work hard every day to teach music in difficult circumstances and, in our own small way, we hope we’re lending a voice for the importance of music education in the schools.

The Judges

Mike Gabriella is a long time fan, performer and coach of a capella style music. He has been a member of several Northeastern District Quartet Championship groups in addition to International Quartet Qualifiers, sharing the stage with some of the world’s best a capella talent . Mike’s most recent quartet, Road Show, was a 2-time Boston Regional Harmony Sweeps Champion and National Sweeps Finalist. He has coached groups all along the eastern seaboard and as a result of this “hobby,” had the opportunity to meet and become friends with wonderful people from all over the world. In his spare time, Mike dabbles in project studio work, most recently completing the audio for your current Harmony Sweeps Champs, Foreign Exchange! Be sure to pick up a copy

Michael Klein is a 24 year member of The Barbershop Harmony Society. While an avid A Cappella fan of all genres, he is currently serving as the President of the Northeastern District of the BHS, representing 60 Chapters from Southern Connecticut to New Foundland. He is a member of the Lowell, MA Chapter and sings with The Gentlemen Songsters Barbershop Harmony Chorus, and his quartet Eastern Standard Time, past winners of the Allston Brighton Kiwanis Idol Contest. He is still in a place of amazement. Music was not a part of his life until he was 26 years old and now it consumes his entire being.

Amy Malkoff is the Web Content Director for CASA (Contemporary A Cappella Society), is a frequent festival clinician/teacher and competition judge, and is also a writer and designer. She is a singer/songwriter and founding member of All About Buford and Deadline Poet, and she has appeared on stage and in the studio with such luminaries as Wayne Brady, Jonathan Brooke, The Persuasions, Ellis Paul, Vance Gilbert, GrooveLily, Patty Griffin, and Dar Williams. She has a degree in music from Kenyon College, with music studies at Youngstown State University and master’s-level coursework at the New England Conservatory of Music. Her music has appeared on both the Rounder Records and Hear Music/Starbucks labels. She is on the production team of the Boston Sings (BOSS) Festival, is the media director of the newly formed Women's A Cappella Association, and assists with production of the weekly video podcast, "Inside A Cappella". www.amymalkoffmusic.com

Brian O’Connell: For fifteen years Brian was director of the Concert Choir at Berklee College of Music. For nine of those years he also served as Chairman of the Voice Department where he developed a unique curriculum geared to the contemporary singer that increased the number of vocal department majors from approximately 30 to 200. Presently, he is the Director of Vocal Activities at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. Brian is also director/founder of the Sarteano Chamber Choral Conducting Workshop each summer in Tuscany, Italy. He is also on the faculty of both the University of Massachusetts/Lowell, where he teaches Vocal Pedagogy and Choral Methods, and The Boston Conservatory, where he teaches graduate Choral Methods. While at Berklee, Brian was very active in Boston's rock, a cappella and recording scenes. In 2010, Brian joined the panel of judges for choral performance, voice & conducting for the national competition, The American Prize.

Christopher Scranton sang with the nationally-known Beelzebubs during his time at Tufts University, which included the the award-winning "Infinity" album and the group's first network television appearance, on "The Late Show with David Letterman". He began performing acappella in high school, as part of a group directed by one of the founders of the Vineyard Sound, and continues to support acapella music to this day with his work as President of the Bubs Foundation.

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Interested in Performing?

We are always seeking groups who would like to participate in our events.

Groups of any style are welcome, but you must have between 3 and 8 members. We have a rule book which explains many of the details of the event, which you can see by clicking here. All groups must audition in order to compete. Generally this is done by sending a current tape and photo, although live auditions are sometimes arranged. The purpose of the audition is to make sure the group is appropriate for the Festival and to help the Director determine the performance order. If a group has competed previously, the audition process may be waived.

Jackie Chisholm(Boston) The Bubs Foundation, formed by alumni of the Tufts University Beelzebubs A cappella singing group, has had a historic mission since 1991 of supporting vocal music programs in Boston-area public schools. With the relentless need to reduce public school budgets, music education programs have been substantially reduced or eliminated. The Bubs Foundation is proud to have contributed over $50,000 in grants to 60 music programs thus far. In addition to its annual grant-making activity, the Bubs Foundation has decided to take a more focused approach to leveraging the principal tenet of the Beelzebubs organization, namely "Fun Through Song". The Foundation will also create and implement a cappella music programs in economically underprivileged middle schools and community agencies.

Cohen Auditorium is the largest auditorium/lecture hall on the Medford Campus at Tufts University. The house seats 616 with 486 seats in the orchestra and 130 seats in the balcony. Located in the Aidekman Arts Center, it is a multi-use facility serving as a classroom from morning through mid-evening, Monday through Thursdays, and a performance or conference space on weeknights and weekends.

Cohen Auditorium is located on the Medford campus at Tufts University, Cohen Auditorium is inside the Aidekman Arts Center on Talbot Avenue, near College Ave. There is plenty of free parking. Yahoo map - Google map - Directions